Hair-cutting comb with floating blade

ABSTRACT

THE COMB HAS A TOOTHED HEAD WITH FRONT AND BACK SIDES SECURED TOGETHER. A RAZOR BLADE SECURED TO A CARRIER IN A RECESS BETWEEN THE SIDES IS SLIDABLE FROM A SPRINGBIASED EXTENDED POSITION WITH ITS EDGE CROSSING THE TOOTH INTERVALS TO A POSITION WITHDRAWN FROM THE TEETH. EACH TOOTH HAS ONE SIDE CURVED TO DEFLECT COMBINED HAIR IN ONE DIRECTION LONGITUDINALLY OF THE COMB AND THE CARRIER IS GUIDED IN THE RECESS TO SLIDE THE BLADE IN THE OTHER DIRECTION WHEN MOVED BY HAIR PRESSURE FROM EXTENDING TO WITHDRAWN POSITION.

March 1971 J. A. GRACEFFO 3,570,121

HAIR-CUTTING COMB WITH FLOATING BLADE Filed Nov. 29, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQE. JOSEPH A. GRACEFFO Mamh 1971 J. A. GRACEFFO I 3,570,

HAIR-CUTTING COMB WITH FLOATING BLADE 7 Filed Nov. 29. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet D United States Patent 3,570,121 HAIR-CUTTING COMB WITH FLOATING BLADE Joseph A. Gracetfo, Seneca Falls, N.Y., assignor to Helida R. Gracetfo, Seneca, Falls, N.Y., a fractional part interest Filed Nov. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 780,033 Int. Cl. B21b 21/12; B26b 19/00 US. Cl. 30-30 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The comb has a toothed head with front and back sides secured together. A razor blade secured to a carrier in a recess between the sides is slidable from a springbiased extended position with its edge crossing the tooth intervals to a position withdrawn from the teeth. Each tooth has one side curved to deflect combined hair in one direction longitudinally of the comb and the carrier is guided in the recess to slide the blade in the other direction when moved by hair pressure from extended to withdrawn position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention contemplates a comb having teeth each with one side curved to deflect the hair in one direction. The blade, extending alongside the teeth, is biased to an extended position but is movable on contact with the hair to a withdrawn position. Provision is made in the comb to slide the blade in a direction opposite to the direction in which the hair is deflected by the teeth concurrently with the movement of the blade from extended to withdrawn position. This results in a scissors action on the hair between blade edge and the teeth.

The blade edge also is always maintained at a small angle to the length of the comb so that the edge of the blade saws or slices each hair instead of biting into and pulling the hair.

A comparatively weak spring is provided for biasing the blade to its extended position for thin or short hair and an additional spring, which can be selectively additionally used in biasing the blade, is provided for hair which is more profuse or longer.

The comb is adapted for use with a conventional double-edged razor blade and the toothed portion of the comb is adapted to be easily opened for changing the blade. Provision is also made for digitally withdrawing the blade, without opening the toothed portion, for cleaning the comb teeth of severed hair ends.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a comb according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a back plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a back plan view of the front portion of the head with the back portion removed;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the inside face of the back portion of the head;

3,570,121 Patented Mar. 16, 1971 "ice FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 3 with the blade removed;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a top edge view of the comb of FIG. 1; FIG. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of FIG. 1; FIG. 9 is a back plan view of the front portion of the head of a modified form of comb with the back portion removed;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the inside face of the back portion of the head of the comb of FIG. 9; 9 FIG. 11 is a sectional view on the line 1111 of FIG.

; and

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatical view illustrating the haircutting action of the comb.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIGS. 1-8 a comb 10 has a handle 11 and a head 12 which is split along a bisecting plane 13 (FIG. 7) to form a front portion 14 and a back portion 15. Front" and back are used herein from the point of view of an operator using the comb to cut the hair of another, the back of the comb being the side nearer the hair.

The front portion 14 is integral with handle 11 and the back portion 15 is hingedly joined to the handle to provide access to the blade 16. The handle 11 is provided with outwardly projecting cars 17 Where the handle and the front portion 14 join and the back portion 15 has cars 18 at its end. A hinge pin 19 extends through the ears from one edge of the comb to the other and a coil torsion spring 20 around pin 19 biases the portions of the head to face to face engagement. Front portion 14 may be grooved at 21 for recessing the spring and clearance holes 22 for the ears 18 may be provided.

The back portion 15 of the head has a plurality of teeth 25 along one edge, one side 26 of each tooth being curved, as shown, to cam the hair lengthwise of the comb when it is combed. A rectangular recess 27 is also provided in the inner face of the portion 15 for a reason which will appear.

The inner surface of front portion 14 of the head has an irregular shaped recess 30 in which a substantially flat blade carrier 31 is slidable. A straight edge 32 at one end of recess 30 and the corresponding end edge 33 of carrier 31 extend diagonally at approximately 45 degrees to the length of the comb. At the other end of carrier 31 the carrier has a projecting portion 34 having an edge 35 parallel to edge 33 and recess 30 has a portion 36 in which the portion 34 of the carrier can move diagonally, the portion 36 having an edge 37 also parallel to the edge 32. Portion 36 also has its opposite side 38 parallel to side 37 and is of a width to contain portion 34 of the carrier with a sliding fit.

The edge 32 of recess 30 may be provided with rollers 40 recessed in the head portion 14 and rotatable on pins 41. The edge 33 of carrier 31 can easily slide along the rollers 40 and extends along another portion 42 of the carrier which projects in the opposite direction from portion 34. The side of the recess portion which contains portion 42 of the carrier opposite edge 32 has an edge 43 which is parallel to edge 32 and the recess portion contains the projecting portion 42 of the carrier with a sliding fit.

Recess 30 is larger than the carrier 31 providing recess portions 44 and 45 above and to the right of the carrier in FIG. 5 so that the carrier is slidable in the recess a distance of about 2.7 millimeters measured horizontally.

Carrier 31 has three spaced studs 47 projecting from its face into recess 27 of back portion .15 and on which can be mounted a conventional double edged razor shown at 16 in FIG. 5.

Carrier 31 is thinner than the depth of recess 30 by a distance approximately the thickness of blade 16 and a recess '48 having a depth equal to the same distance is formed in head portion 14 on three sides of the recess 30, as shown in FIG. 5. As carrier 31 moves, the blade 16 is carried on the carrier and moves with it in the thin recess 48 from an extended position shown in FIG. to a withdrawn position diagonally upward and to the right in the figure.

The front portion 14 of the head has two teeth 50 which conform in shape to the two end teeth 25 of the back portion 15. Teeth 50 are connected by a straight edge 51 which is aligned alongside the roots of teeth 25 when the head portions are closed. The cutting edge of blade 16 is parallel to the straight edge 51 in its extended position shown in FIG. 3 and is withdrawn back of the straight edge in its withdrawn position. Straight edge 51 and the cutting edge of blade 16 are at a small angle, of the order of six degrees, to the lengthwise axis of handle 11.

Carrier 31 has an integral stud 52, best seen in FIG. 8, projecting from its front surface through a slot 53 which is aligned parallel to the surfaces 32 and 37 of recess so that stud 52 moves in slot 53 as carrier 31 moves in recess 30 and may assist in guiding the carrier in its diagonal movement.

The front surface of portion 14 is provided with two lever-type springs 55 and 56 each having one end embeded in a different projecting boss 57 integral with the portion 14, as shown. Spring 55 is comparatively weaker than spring 56 and is normally engaged with one side of the stud 52 for biasing carrier 31 and blade 16 to their extended positions. Spring 56 is normally engaged with a projecting retainer boss 58 integral with portion 14 but may be manually released to engage the stud 52 to supplement or substitute for the bias of spring 55.

In operation, the comb is grasped by the handle 11 and lightly used to comb the hairs which are to be trimmed. As the teeth 25 are run through the hair, each hair is cammed by the sides 26 of the teeth lengthwise of the comb, to the right in FIGS. 1 and 4. At the same time, as the hairs are pressed against the cutting edge of blade 16 in its extended position, the blade is moved in the opposite direction, to the left in FIG. 1, as the blade is forced from its extended to withdrawn position. As will be aparent from FIG. 3, the edge 33 of carrier 31 is guided by rollers and edge 35 of the projection 34 is guided by the edge 37 of recess 30 as the carrier moves in its diagonal path.

Upon withdrawal of the comb from the hair, spring 55 returns the carrier to its extended position. Portions 34 and 42 are guided in their recess portions by the edges 38 and 43.

This action is illustrated in FIG. 12. As the hair is combed, an individual hair 59 is engaged by a side 26 of a tooth 25 and as the tooth moves down the hair is moved to the right as shown in broken lines. At the same time as the hair 59 engages blade 16 it forces the blade toward its withdrawn position, shown in broken lines, moving the blade in the opposite direction to the movement of the hair.

For thicker or longer hair, the spring 56 may be released and engaged with the stud 52 to increase the pressure required to move blade 16 and therefore increasing the number of hairs cut by the blade.

It will also be noted that, since the cutting edge of blade 16 is at an angle to the axis of handle 11, the blade tends to move in a sawing or slicing direction when the comb is moved straight downward.

Head portion 15 is hinged and spring-biased closed but may be swung open for reversing or changing blade 16. T 0 clean the teeth 25 of severed hair ends, however, the head need not be opened. Stud 52 at the front of the comb may be digitally moved to withdraw blade 16 and the teeth 25 may be manually cleaned.

In FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 a modified form of comb 60 is shown to illustrate a positive head closing lock and an alternative means for guiding the carrier and blade in a diagonal path. Otherwise comb 60 is the same as comb 10 as indicated by using primed reference numbers in these latter figures where similar parts are used.

Comb 60 has a handle 11' integral with the head front portion 14' and the head back portion 15' is hingedly connected thereto. Ears 17 on the handle, however, are provided with conical projections 61 extending towards one another and ears 18' on the hinged portion 15' are provided with cooperating conical recesses 62 so that the ears 18' may be snapped into engagement with the ears 17'. In place of a spring biasing the head portions together, a projecting latch member 63 is provided on the face of portion 15' which is engageable in a latch recess 64 in portion 14'. n

Portion 14' has a rectangular carrier recess 65 larger than the rectangular carrier 66 therein. Instead of studs, carrier 66 has a longitudinally extending bar flange 67 thereacross which fits in the central opening across blade 16. Blade 16 therefore may be carried on the carrier which is of less thickness than the depth of recess 65. A shallow recess 48 surrounds recess 65 on three sides and the blade is slidable in recess 48' while carrier 66 is slidable in recess 65.

The front surface of carrier 66 carries a stud 52 projecting through a slot 53 in the head portion 14 and a spring 55' biases the carrier in its extended position shown in FIG. 9, just as described above in connection with comb 10.

The means for maintaining the cutting edge of the blade parallel at all times to the straight edge 51' of portion 14', while the carrier 66 moves from extended to withdrawn position, comprises a pair of parallelizing arms 68. Each arm 68 has one end pivotally secured in head portion 14' adjacent recess 65 and has its other end pivotally secured in the carrier 66. The arms 68 extend in parallel in a direction normal to the desired diagonal direction the carrier is to move.

As best seen in FIG. 11, the arms 68 have comparatively thick end portions and are comparatively thin between the ends. Each arm has one circular end sunk in a cooperating hole in head portion 14' adjacent recess 65 and has its other smaller circular end sunk in a cooperating hole in the carrier 66. The ends are connected at their top by a comparatively thin portion of the arm, this connecting portion operating in a recess 69 in portion 14' and a recess 70 in the carrier so that the arms 68 are at all times below the level of the blade carrying recess 48'.

It will be apparent from FIG. 9 that, when hair pressure on the blade 16 moves carrier 66 from its extended position as shown to a withdrawn position, diagonally upward and to the right in the figure, the arms 68 will keep the carrier edge and the blade edge always parallel to the straight edge 51'.

Stud 52 is guided in slot 53 in a straight line and arms 68 guide carrier 66 in a slightly arcuate path but this are is so small as to approximate a straight line for all practical purposes. It will be apparent, therefore, that the scissor like operation of the comb 60 is the same as that described above for comb 10.

As will be apparent to those familiar with the art, the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The embodiments disclosed, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative, rather than restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A comb having a hair-cutting head, the head having a first shallow recess between its front and back surfaces and a second smaller and deeper recess substantially at the center of the first recess, a blade carrier in the second recess and slidable therein, an edged blade secured on the carrier so as to be slidable in the first recess, a

plurality of teeth spaced longitudinally of the head and projecting alongside the blade in a direction substantially normal to the blade edge, and means associated with the second recess and the carrier for guiding the carrier in a direction at an angle to the blade edge and longitudinally of the head when pressure is put on the blade edge, the carrier and the blade being biased to an extended position in which the blade edge normally extends along the middle of the teeth and being retractable by the pressure of combed hair to a position withdrawn from the teeth, whereby the blade is moved transverse the teeth and longitudinally of the head for carrying the combed hair against the sides of the teeth and cutting it as the blade moves from extended to retracted position.

2. A comb having a hair-cutting head, the head having a first shallow recess between its front and back surfaces and a second smaller and deeper recess adjoining the front of a portion of the first recess, a blade carrier in the second recess and slidable therein, a razor blade secured on the carrier so as to be slidable in the first recess, a plurality of teeth on the head projecting alongside the blade at a head edge, one side of each tooth being curved to deflect combed hair in one direction longitudinally of the comb, and means associated with the second recess and the carrier for moving the carrier and blade in an opposite direction longitudinally of the comb when hair is combed, the carrier and "blade being biased to an extended position in which a blade edge normally extends alongside the middle of the teeth and being retractable by the pressure of combed hair to a position withdrawn from the teeth, whereby hair moved in one direction by the teeth is sliced by the blade moving in the other direction when the hair is combed.

3. A hair-cutting comb having a head and a handle, the head having a back portion adapted to be used next to the head and a front portion adapted to face away from the head, the front and back portions being removably secured together, the 'back portion having a plurality of teeth with aligned tips and roots along one edge, the front portion having a recess therein, a blade carrier in the recess, a razor blade secured on the carrier and slidable between the head portions, the carrier being spring biased in the recess in an extended position in which a blade cutting edge extends alongside the teeth between their tips and roots and the carrier being slidable in the recess to another position in which the blade edge is withdrawn at least to the roots of the teeth, one side of each tooth being curved from tip to root to deflect combed hairs in one direction longitudinally of the comb, and means associated with the carrier and the recess for guiding the blade and carrier in the opposite direction when combing the hair moves the blade and carrier from extended to withdrawn position, the edge of the blade in withdrawn position being parallel to its edge in the extended position, whereby the teeth comb the hair in one direction and pressure of hair on the blade moves the blade in the opposite direction in a scissor action on the hair.

4. The comb defined in claim 3 in which the blade edge is always at a small angle to the length of the comb for providing a slicing action.

5. The comb defined in claim 3 wherein the means for guiding the blade and carrier from extended to withdrawn position comprises the slidable alignment of at least one edge of the carrier along an edge of the recess.

6. The comb defined in claim 3 wherein the means for guiding the blade and carrier from extended to withdrawn position comprises a pair of parallel arms, each arm having one end pivotally secured to the back portion of the head adjacent the recess and having its other end pivotally secured to the carrier.

7. The comb defined in claim 3 characterized by the carrier having an integral stud and the front portion of the head having a slot through which the stud projects whereby the blade may be digitally withdrawn to its second position for cleaning the comb of hair without disassembly.

8. The comb defined in claim 7 having a light spring secured to the back portion of the head and bearing against the stud for biasing the carrier.

9. The comb defined in claim 8 having a second heavier spring secured to the front portion of the head and engageable with the stud for further biasing the carrier when cutting thick hair, and means on the head for holding the second spring out of engagement with the stud when cutting thinner hair.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,175,023 3/1916 Szabo 30-30 2,679,094 5/ 195.4 Nolan 30-48 3,421,213 1/1969 Pawlikowski 30-30 OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner 

